USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 51
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A. J. Powell grew to man's estate in Wood- land, and after obtaining an education in. the common schools of Clearfield, worked in the clay mines and in the timbers near Woodland. Mr. Powell is fraternally a member of the Red Men. No. 407, of Clearfield, the Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees, and was a charter member of the order of Golden Eagles.
Mr. Powell was married in 1904 to Kath- erine Waite, who was born and reared in Clearfield County, Pa., and whose parents are both now deceased.
JOHN T. McQUILLEN, who is a mem- ber of the borough council of Wallaceton, Pa., is connected with the Harbison & Walker Brick Company at this place as superintendent of their plant. He was born at Tyrone, Blair County, Pa., in September, 1856, and is a son of Adam and Mary (Boyle) McQuillen.
Adam McQuillen was born in Blair County, a son of Thomas and Jennie (Hunter) Mc- Quillen. For many years he was a railroad man and now is postmaster at Woodland, in Clearfield County. He married Mary Boyle, a daughter of John and Rebecca (McClure) Boyle, also of Blair County. They had the following children born to them: John T., Jennie, Cora, William, Nin, Ada, Mary and Walter, the last named being deceased. Cora is the wife of John McHail; Ada is the wife of H. H. Hiles; and Mary is the wife of A. I. Cowdrick.
John T. McQuillen attended the common
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schools in boyhood and when he went to work and of the DuBois Electric Company. He it was in a brick-yard, and he has been con- was born October 24. 1854, in a lumber camp, at a small place called California, near Bear Creek, Luzerne county, Pa., and is a son of Jacob and Clarissa (Winter) Blakeslee. Ja- cob Blakeslee was largely interested in lum- bering in Monroe and Luzerne counties, Pa., and died in the former. His family consisted of eleven children, five daughters and six sons, Austin being the only one residing in Clear- field county. nected with the brick industry ever since. In 1872 his parents moved to Clearfield County, and in February, 1906, he became superinten- dent of this brick plant at Wallaceton. He has been an active and public spirited citizen of Boggs township ever since residing here and is now serving in the offices of tax col- lector and school director. He owns resi- dence property in Wallaceton and is numbered with the reliable and representative men of the place.
In 1880 Mr. McQuillen was married to Miss Sarah Swift, a daughter of David and Eliza (Hawthorn) Swift. They were born in Eng- land. The mother of Mrs. McQuillen is now deceased but the father resides at Woodland. Their children were: Samuel; Thomas; Su- san, who is the wife of Russell Albert; Wil- laim; George; Minnie, who is the wife of Roy Gilman; Ella, who is deceased: and Sarah, who is Mrs. McQuillen. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McQuillen. namely: Grace; Hayes; Susan, who is the wife of Homer Wilson; Vada, who is the wife of Roy Albert: Edward and Weller. Mr. McQuillen is a Republican in his political views. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and also of the L. O. O. M., both at Clearfield. « With his wife he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
AUSTIN BLAKESLEE, one of Clearfield county's leading business men, who is identi- fied with important enterprises in different sections, has been a resident of DuBois, Pa .. since 1903, and is president of the United Traction and Street Railway Company, also president of the DuBois Traction Company
Austin Blakeslee spent a large part of his boyhood in the lumber regions and attended country schools in the section where his fath- er's business required that the family should live. In 1869 he took a business course in the Wyoming Seminary, in Luzerne county, after which he went to Bradford, Pa., where he se- cured a position as office boy at the mines and from that humble situation gradually ad- vanced during the thirteen years he remained there, to the position of superintendent. In 1885 he moved to Jefferson county, Pa., where he became general manager of the Coal Glenn Mines, which office he still holds, and from there, in 1903, he came to DuBois and cstab- lished his home in this thriving borough. Mr. Blakeslee was not slow in forming an opinion as to the future development of the town and his business sagacity has been shown in the investments he has made and in the public en- terprises he has furthered. He was one of the organizers of the United Traction & Street Railroad, which line was built in 1905, and he also bought interests in the DuBois Electric Company and the DuBois Traction Company. Other capitalists associated with him were: Walter Hatten, A. L. Cole, W. H. Cannon, J. H. Beadle now deceased, and M. I. McCreight. Mr. Blakeslee succeeded Wal-
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ter Hatton as president and subsequently the former's four sons also became stockholders : Robert B., Irvin, Frank and Albert. The Electric Company gives employment to about fifty men in the various departments and give an excellent street car service through DuBois and run an interurban line to Sykesville, Big Run and other points and supplies electric light for DuBois, Sykesville and Big Run. Mr. Blakeslee was also one of the organizers of the Deposit National Bank at DuBois, of which he is one of the directors.
Mr. Blakeslee was married in Bradford county, Pa., to Miss Martha Cronk, who was a daughter of James Cronk, a native of New Jersey, who was one of the sturdy old lum- bermen of Luzerne county, who operated saw mills for many years and prepared timber for ship building purposes. Mr. and Mrs. Blakes- lee have eight children, all of whom have en- joyed exceptional educational and other ad- vantages. Robert B., the eldest son, who is general superintendent of the electric concerns in which he and father are interested, is a graduate of Cornell College, of the class of 1899. He married Eliza Osborn and they have two children. Frank B., the second son. who is superintendent of the mines at Coal Glenn, is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary. He married Blanche Blakeslee and they have three children: Robert, Helen and Dorothea. Charles Albert, who is a graduate of the civil engineering department of Cornell College, in the class of 1903, resides at Falls Creek, Pa., · and is secretary and treasurer of the Crystal Window Glass Company. He married Jessie Ormella Coal and they have three children: Arthur, Martha and Jean. Irvin Blakeslee, the fourth son, who is a graduate of Cornell College, in the class of 1906, is assistant su-
perintendent and purchasing agent for the above electric company. Kathryn, the eldest daughter, is the wife of Morde Ginter, of Du- Bois, and they have one daughter, Louise. Colson Edward, who is a graduate of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, class of 1909, is employed as bookkeeper for the elec- tric company in which he is a stockholder. He married Mabel Fry. The two youngest chil- dren. Lucy and Russell, reside at home. The family residence is at No. 159 Long Avenue, DuBois. Mr. and Mrs. Blakeslee are mnem- bers of the First Methodist Episcopal church. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity and belongs to the Blue Lodge and Command- ery at DuBois.
A. W. COWDER, a prominent farmer and enterprising citizen of Bradford township. Clearfield county, Pa., has resided on his pres- ent farm of 250 acres since 1851, and was born in 1850 in Bradford township, a son of John and Sarah Cowder. His parents came from Lancaster county, in 1841, and settled in Bradford township, on a farm near Bigler. Ten years later they sold it and bought 400 acres. This they farmed a number of years, when they sold all but 250 acres, which is now owned by their son. A. W., subject of this rec- ord. Both parents are now deceased, their deaths having occurred on the farm, one in 1882, the other in 1893.
A. W. Cowder was reared on his present farm and attended the local schools of Brad- ford township. After leaving school he began working on his father's farm and lumbering and has since followed farming on the home place. Mr. Cowder was married in 1873 to El- mira Wilson, a daughter of John Wilson of Bradford township, and they immediately be-
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gan housekeeping on the old homestead. Seven children were born of this union: Ralph, Ag- nes, Anna, Oscar (died aged seven years), Wilson (died aged three years), Alvie, and Fanny. Ralph and Fanny are now deceased. Mrs. Cowder died March 9, 1890, aged 38 years, and in the fall of 1892 Mr. Cowder formed a second union with Lizzie A. Shirey of Bradford township. The religious connec- tion of the family is with the United Breth- ren church of Shiloh, of which Mr. Cowder has been a trustee since the church was built in 1886. Mr. Cowder served ten years as a school director of Bradford township, and is a man of public spirit and enterprise, and is ever ready to give his assistance to those meas- ures which tend toward the advancement of the community in which he lives.
PATRICK THOMAS SULLIVAN, of the firm of Luther & Sullivan, conducting the undertaking business under the style of the J. B. Luther Undertaking Co., at DuBois, was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, March 27, 1870, and is a son of Michael and Johanna ( Rooney) Sullivan, the former of whom died in Ireland in July, 1908, but the latter sur- vives. Of their seven children, Patrick Thomas was the second in order of birth and with a brother, John, and a sister, Delia, were the only ones to come to America.
Patrick Thomas Sullivan came to the United States in 1879 with his cousin, Rev. James Brennon, who became the first parish priest at DuBois. Mr. Sullivan came to Du- Bois in 1881 and made his home with Father Brennon and for twelve years worked in the mines. For ten years more he was employed as a car inspector for the B. R. & P. Railroad, after which he entered the employ of L. E.
Weber, undertaker. He took a course in em- balming under Prof. Harry Eckles, at Phila- delphia and received his practical knowledge of the art under his present partner, J. B. Luther, and received his state embalmer's li- cense in August, 1910. On September 7, 1909, with Mr. Luther, he established the J. B. Luther Undertaking Co.
On December 25, 1890, Mr. Sullivan was married to Miss Mary Martin, a daughter of Charles Martin, who came to Clearfield county in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan have six children: Johanna Loretta, Charles H., Mi- chael F., Thomas J., Susanna and Patrick W. The family residence is No. 519. W. Wash- ington avenue, DuBois. They are members of St. Catherine's Catholic church. He is identified with the Knights of Columbus and for the past eighteen years has belonged to the C. T. A. For ten years he has served as pres- ident of Division No. 1 of the Clearfield County A. O. H., and he belongs also to the Catholic Order of Foresters.
JOHN H. McCROSSIN, proprietor of the Irvona Hotel, one of the leading public houses at Irvona, Pa., is not only popular as its host but is also highly esteemed as a citizen. He is one of the younger business men of the bor- ough, born March 1, 1882, at Ramey, Pa., and is a son of James and Mary ( Wilkinson) Mc- Crossin.
James McCrossin was born in Bradford county, Pa., and came to Clearfield county when eighteen years of age. He settled first at Osceola and for a number of years was in the lumber business but in 1892 he went into the hotel business and conducted hotels at Ma- dera, Houtzdale and Clearfield until 1897. In 1901 he returned to Madera, where he built
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the Madera Inn and has conducted it ever since. He is well known all over Clearfield county. He married Mary Wilkinson, who was born in England and accompanied her pa- rents to America in her girlhood. Her father was interested in coal, both as a miner and small shipper, in Clearfield county. Seven children were born to James McCrossin and wife, namely: Edward G., who is a resident of Madera; John H .; Fred, who is with his father at Madera; Thomas, who is a profes- sional base ball player, outfielder with the Memphis Southern League; Frances, who lives at home; a babe that died ; and Margaret, who died when about twenty-eight years of age.
John H. McCrossin attended both the pub- lic and parochial schools at Houtzdale and Clearfield. His first work was done as an em- ploye of the New York Central Railroad, where he continued for almost a year and then went with the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad. In December, 1904, he gave up railroad work and was a clerk in a wholesale business house at Houtzdale, and when he left there it was to come to Irvona, where he bought the Irvona Hotel, in partnership with his brother, Ed- ward McCrossin. The partnership continued for two years when John H. purchased his brother's interest and has been sole owner and proprietor ever since. Mr. McCrossin has made many improvements, including the build- ing of a fine new bar in 1910, and the whole house is fitted with modern conveniences. It is Mr. McCrossin's aim to make his hotel as home-like as possible, and through his care and attention he succeeds and is given gener- ous patronage.
In 1905 Mr. McCrossin was married to Miss Margaret Meagher, a daughter of Jolin
Meagher, of Houtzdale, and they have three children : Gilbert Meagher, Margaret and Robert Frederick. Mr. and Mrs. McCrossin are members of St. Basil's Roman Catholic church at Blair City. He is identified frater- nally with a number of organizations, includ- ing: Tyrone Lodge, No. 212, Elks, at Ty- rone ; Clearfield Aerie, No. 812, Eagles, at Clearfield; Canalport Lodge, No. 312, Moose, and the Brotherhood of America, at Houtz- dale.
HARVEY B. GROVE, proprietor of the H. B. Grove general store, dealing in general merchandise, hay, feed and grain, at West Decatur, Boggs township, Clearfield county, Pa., is an enterprising and successful business man of this section. He was born March 28, 1883. at Orbisonia, Huntingdon county, Pa., and is a son of James and Margaret (Har- ris) Grove.
James Grove was born in Huntingdon county, a son of Joseph Grove, and is engaged in the contracting' business there. He has been twice married, first to Margaret Harris, who died when their only child, Harvey B., was eighteen months old. Her parents were William and Susan Harris. The second mar- riage was to Lucy Leader, of which there has been no issue. James Grove is a member of the Reformed church.
Harvey B. Grove obtained his education in the common and high school at Orbisonia, graduating from the latter in 1898. He then went into the shops of the Westinghouse Company, at Pittsburg, where he worked un- til 1905, after which he engaged as clerk in a general store at Orbisonia, where he had charge of a general merchandise and of a hardware store, for two years. For one year
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afterward he was a traveling representative of the International Correspondence School of Scranton, Pa., and then went back to the shops where he had learned his trade, in Pittsburg, and continued there until September 1, 1910, when he came to West Decatur and bought out the firm of Briggs Brothers. He has done considerable improving in the way of modern- izing his store and is now enjoying a prosper- ous trade.
Mr. Grove was married in 1909 to Miss Edna Albert, who is a daughter of John and Mary A. Albert, natives of Clearfield county, where Mrs. Albert still resides, her husband being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Albert had three children: Roland, who is deceased ; Myrtle, who is the wife of J. T. Guyer ; and Edna, Mrs. Grove. To Mr. and Mrs. Grove a son was born on March 7, 1911, who bears the name of James B. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics Mr. Grove is a Democrat. He belongs to Tur- tle Creek Lodge, No. 777, Odd Fellows.
JAMES S. MOORE, a man of many and varied interests but who devotes a large amount of attention to the livestock industry, has been in this line of business since 1865. and has spent his life in Central Pennsylvania. He was born in Frankstown township, Blair county, Pa., December 22, 1840, and is a son of Jesse and Eliza (Smith) Moore.
Jesse Moore was born also in Frankstown township and was a son of Samnel and Isa- bella Moore. His death occurred in 1856, when his son, James S., was a youth of six- teen years. He married Eliza Smith, who was born in Frankstown township. Blair county, a daughter of James Smith. She sur- vived her husband for many years, her death
occurring at Minneapolis, Minn., when she had reached her eighty-second year. To Jesse and Eliza Moore seven children were born, namely: Adie, who is now deceased, was a resident of Frankstown township; James S .; Letitia, who died at Minneapolis, Minn., was the wife of Harry Stephens; Charles, who re- sides at Madera, Clearfield county; Samuel, who is a resident of Los Angeles, Calif .; Can- dlace, who is the wife of Angus Confer, of Minneapolis; and Jesse, who lives in Califor- nia.
James S. Moore was reared and attended school in Blair county, and resided there until January 3, 1873, when he moved to Center county and for a short time lived just back of Osceola and then settled in Osceola borough where he remained until October. 1875. at which time he came to Houtzdale, which has been his place of residence ever since. He is identified with the leading interests of this sec- tion and is one of the most substantial and progressive citizens. He is a stockhokler and director in the First National Bank of Osce- ola ; is interested in the Oak Ridge Coal Com- pany of Hastings, and is also a stockholder and a director in the Water Works Company of Houtzdale. Mr. Moore owns an excellent farm which lies just outside the borough of Houtzdale, which he supervises. He buys his livestock in Pittsburg and other western mar- kets and ships into this section, doing an ex- tensive business.
Mr. Moore was married in 1868, to Miss Martha Smith, who is now deceased. In 1880 Mr. Moore was married second to Miss Lulu McClure and they have one daughter, Mabel. Mr. Moore and family belong to the Presby- terian church. In politics he is a Republican and has served frequently in local offices.
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WILLIAM ELMER PATCHIN is a well known and prominent citizen of Burnside township, where he is engaged in farming, lumbering and is also in the livery business. He was born at Patchinville, this county, Oc- tober 22, 1856, a son of Jackson and Mary (Mahaffey) Patchin. The Patchin family is one of the old and representative families of Clearfield county, and was founded here by John W. Patchin, who was born in 1789, at Sabbath Day Point, Warren county, N. Y., where he married Elizabeth Wright. He was early engaged in lumbering and had a slide for logs on the side of Black Mountain, above Lake George. In 1835 he came to Clearfield county, purchasing 10,000 acres of timber land along the Susquehanna river. He was one of the first to engage in rafting lumber down the Susquehanna river to the distant markets. In 1847 he brought his family to this county and they resided first at Curwens- ville, later removing to the locality now known as Patchinville, which place was named in his honor. In 1848 he admitted his sons to part- nership in his large lumbering enterprises, and the business was conducted under the firm name of John Patchin & Sons. This pioneer and founder of the family here died December 21, 1863, at the age of 74 years. His widow died in 1860. They left seven children.
Jackson Patchin, son of John and father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Sab- bath Day Point, N. Y., in April, 1830. He came to Clearfield county in 1844, at the age of 14 and was engaged in clerking for his father. In 1853 he was admitted as a partner into the firm of John Patchin & Sons, and after his father's death, he and his brother Aaron con- tinued the business. Aaron, as his father's chief adviser and assistant, had inherited most
of the latter's estate but he later adjusted all claims satisfactorily with his brothers and sis- ters. The estate now includes 8,000 acres of land.
Jackson Patchin married, January 1, 1856, Mary Mahaffey, a daughter of John and Elen (Byers) Mahaffey, of which union there were two children, namely : William Elmer, our di- rect subject ; and Frank E., who is associated in business with his brother.
William Elmer Patchin after attending school in his boyhood went to work at farm- ing and lumbering with his father, with whom he continued until reaching the age of 24 years. He then engaged in the livery business at Burnside, in which he has since continued, without, however, relinquishing his other oc- cupations. He also deals largely in horses and cattle and other live stock. He has been pros- perous in his various enterprises and is now one of the substantial citizens of his township. He belongs to the Masonic order, being a member of Blue Lodge No. 314 at Clearfield. In politics he is a Republican and has served two terms on the school board and also two terms as councilman of Burnside.
Mr. Patchin was married, January 28, 1890, to Emma Conner, a daughter of John C. and Emily ( McClure) Conner. Her father was born in 1831 in Indiana county, Pa., and died at Burnside, February 13, 1909. He was en- gaged in mercantile business in his native county and afterwards in Clearfield county, coming to Burnside in 1868. He was also a member of the large lumber firm of Hopkins, Irvin & Conner, operating at Rock Haven, whose wealth and commercial interests were practically wiped out by the great Johnstown flood, whereby Mr. Conner lost most of his fortune. He died on the very day that he had
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been elected to the office of auditor. His first wife was Emily Widowson and after her death he married Emily V. McClure, a daugh- ter of Stansbury McClure. To each marriage three children were born: to the first Nettie (Mrs. A. K. Wray), Jennie (Mrs. Elwood Henderson), and John B., who is postmaster at Burnside. The children of the second mar- riage were William M., Harry C. and Emma A. (Mrs. W. E. Patchin ).
The children of our subject and wife are: Don, an electrician, residing at home : Lynn, also at home; Herbert, Joseph, Mary, who died in infancy, and Harry, who also died in infancy. The eldest, Don, is now eighteen years old. Mrs. Patchin is a member of the Methodist Protestant church of Burnside.
ROBERT EUGENE HUNTER, who is engaged in the hardware and house furnish- ing business at Irvona and carries on funeral directing at Coalport, Pa., is one of the enter- prising young business men of Clearfield county and one whose progress during the past ten years has been almost exceptional. Mr. Hunter was born in Wells Valley, Fulton county, Pa., November 26, 1881, a son of Ezekiel and Margaret Jane (McNeal) Hun- ter.
Ezekiel Hunter, who was born in Ireland, came to the United States when eighteen years of age, and here followed his trade, that of tanner. He married Margaret Jane Mc- Neal, the daughter of a paymaster of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Born at Lewistown, Pa., she died December 1, 1899, having been the mother of ten children, namely: Mollie, who is the widow of Harrison Celevenger of Irvona; William, who died at the age of two years ; Agnes M., who married Oliver M. Des-
Rochers, of Instanter, Elk county, Pa .; Jen- nie, who died in infancy; Mattie, the wife of H. T. Venatta, of royo, Elk county: Vir- ginia, who married Harry Mays, of Anita, Jefferson county; Carrie Gertrude, who mar- ried J. A. English, of Albion. Mercer county : Margaretta Frances, who is single; Alexander C., who is working for his brother in the store, married Catherine Harrison; and Rob- ert Eugene. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hunter located for a time near Philadel- phia and later went to Fulton county for seven or eight years, but eventually Mr. Hunter came to Irvona, before the tannery was built. and worked here until he had made a home for his family, who followed him here in the fall of 1889. Mr. Hunter still resides in Ir- vona, and is now eighty-nine years of age, more than fifty years of his life having been spent at the tanning trade.
Robert Eugene Hunter attended the public schools of Irvona until fourteen years of age, at which time he commenced working in the tannery and so continued until the age of twenty years, at which time he entered the employ of J. S. Gordon, the house furnishing and hardware merchant, for a salary of $20 per month, and so efficient did he prove him- self that twenty-three months later, to a day, he was taken into partnership by Mr. Gordon. the firm becoming Hunter & Co. For nearly five years this style continued and early in 1908, Mr. Hunter purchased Mr. Gordon's in- terest in the business and he has conducted it alone to the present time with great success. Mr. Hunter took a post-graduate course in undertaking at Pittsburg, and on January 1. 1910, he took charge of the business of J. M. Beers, at Coalport, he now being the only funeral director within some distance of Ir-
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